Lori, a volunteer serving in Poland, talks about her experience being welcomed and serving the first day in Siedlce County.

Cheese fritters were the breakfast entrée that greeted us on this Monday morning. Others for the first time tried the black current juice.

Team orientation

Following breakfast we moved to the resource room where we briefly reviewed our team goals. Then we developed characteristics of an effective team. These qualities include: cooperation, respect, flexibility, patience, tolerance, honesty, creativity, communication, listening, a sense of humor, clarity, unified message, and consistence.
Next we identified team skills. These abilities ranged from being able to sing songs to being an expert on baseball.
Lori next shared a story about knowing the meaning of the Polish word, “uwaga”, saved her from being hit in the face by a basketball while sitting in the train station plaza in Kraków. We discussed how this word can used to mean, pay attention, such as pay attention to the stairs, to use as a word that means danger. Rob shared he had found this word alerting him to a nearby electric fence.
Dorota then explained how the Polish school system was organized. She answered questions from team members about how schools operate here.
Then the team members were given an orientation to the teaching aides available in the work room. Team member than gathered about the table to begin to develop and organize their first lessons for the teaching that begins tomorrow.
Following an early mid-day meal we departed for Siedlce to meet with the Siedlce County Deputy

Team #245 with Deputy Governor of Siedlce county

Governor. We were graciously welcomed by him. He asked each of us to introduce ourselves. Then he shared that he had been a student in a school which received English classes from the very first Global Volunteer team that served in Poland. He welcomed our questions which ranged from the status of the agricultural economy in the Siedlce County to how political campaigning can be conducted in Poland.
The team members were then taken on tour of Siedlce, the tour being conducted by Magda joined by Izabela and Monika, volunteer guides. Both had been interns at the summer language camps in 2014 so Gary and I were particularly glad to see them. The Global Volunteers saw many things ranging from the Cathedral in Siedlce to Ogiński Palace to the post office. The tour ended at the new shopping Galeria where the volunteers had some fun shopping.
Returning to Reymontówka we enjoyed a supper of croquettes filled with sauerkraut and mushrooms. Then it was time to put the last details on the lessons for tomorrow.

Message of the Day: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to
dance in the rain.”—Attributed to Vivian Greene and shared by Kenita